Representatives of PLTW, UH West O'ahu, and educators gather for partnership blessing.

Project Lead The Way and the University of Hawaiʻi - West Oʻahu are happy to announce a first-of-its-kind partnership to bring STEM curriculum to Hawaiʻi’s schools through an activity-, project-, and problem-based curriculum with a high-quality teacher professional development model.

As Project Lead The Way’s (PLTW) first affiliate partner in Hawaiʻi, UH West Oʻahu is a vital piece of the PLTW experience for students and teachers in Hawaiʻi. This summer, the University will host PLTW’s required Core Training programs for teachers who will instruct PLTW courses. As an affiliate partner, UH West Oʻahu offers the ability to attend training within the state – an important resource for teachers in Hawaiʻi. UH West Oʻahu will also participate in annual conferences for school administrators and counselors, as well as provide ongoing support to PLTW schools.

“We have a moral and economic imperative to provide access to high-quality STEM experiences for all students in this country,” said Project Lead The Way President and CEO Vince Bertram. “That’s why we are so pleased to welcome University of Hawaiʻi - West Oʻahu as a PLTW affiliate partner to help lead this important effort.”

UH West Oʻahu’s role as an affiliate university supports the statewide initiative of '55 by '25' – 55 percent of working-age adults having a post-secondary degree by the year 2025.

“UH West Oʻahu is excited to partner with Project Lead The Way and its proven methods of providing an effective STEM education to K-12 students,” said Sherry Proper, UH West Oʻahu interim academic program officer and director of strategic initiatives. “We are also hopeful about the prospect of influencing a culturally-based curriculum within Project Lead The Way that appropriately reflects our rich heritage in Hawaiʻi.”

Proper said that like the rest of the nation, Hawaiʻi is interested in engaging students in STEM fields for long-term sustainability and to ensure that the state remains globally competitive.

“Through this partnership, UH West Oʻahu has the opportunity to support the professional development of both public and private school teachers in K-12 STEM fields via proven methods that help students develop much-needed skills in a culturally-engaging environment,” Proper said.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the nation’s leading provider of K-12 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs. PLTW’s world-class, activity-, project-, and problem-based curriculum and high-quality teacher professional development model, combined with an engaged network of educators and corporate partners, help students develop the skills needed to succeed in our global economy. More than 6,500 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia currently offer PLTW courses to their students. For more information, visit www.pltw.org.

About the University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu

Established in 1976, the University of Hawaiʻi - West Oʻahu offers quality education, small classes and personalized attention with academic programs that emphasize the exploration of interdisciplinary and cross-cultural studies. UH West Oʻahu serves approximately 2,700 students at its brand new, state-of-the-art campus that opened in the City of Kapolei in 2012. For more information, visit www.uhwo.hawaii.edu, call (808) 689-2800 or toll-free (866) 299-8656. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.